Electric alarm for letter-boxes



(.NoMadel.)

O. H. CARTER. Electric Alarm for Letter Boxes.

Patented Nov. 9,1880.

NFETERS. PHOTO-LITMDGRAPNER, WASHINGTON, 0 C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. CARTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC ALARM FOR LETTER-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,244, dated November 9, 1880. Application filed March 29, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. CARTER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

Electric letter boxes have been made in which the alarm is sounded when the lid of the box is raised or when theletter is dropped in. With this kind of box the owner is often called to the box by any person raising the lid or inserting any unimportant circular.

The object of my invention is to produce a letterbox so constructed that the postman, when he drops a letter thereinto, can notify the party for whom the letter is intended by the use of an electric circuit-closer which he carries with him. These letter-boxes are especially intended for private use, and can be stationed in the hallways or doorways of buildings, and the signalwires run from them to the room or office of the person or firm using the box.

My letter-box is so constructed that the postman, after dropping in a letter, can ring an alarm-bell in the ofliee of the party using the box by completing an electric circuit by means of a skeleton-key, said alarm-bell ringing so long as the key is in place, or it may be arranged to ring until the box is opened for taking the letter out.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of the box. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front of the box. Fig. 3 is a section of the circuit-closing key, and Fig. 4 is an elevation of the said key.

The letter-box is preferably of iron, and composed of the sides a, back 1), top 0, front (I, and bottom 0.

Between the front (1 and top a there is a slit for the passage of the letter, and a cover may be used to cover said opening.

The bottom e is hinged to the back b, and

looks with an ordinary keylock against the front (I. The arrangement of this, however, may be changed without affecting the work ing of my letter-box.

To'one side, a, and projecting through the front d, is secured the circuitclosin g device f, which is slotted vertically to receive the key g, and is provided with the division-pin h, which prevents the insertion of a false key.

There are two metallic projections, 11 it, passin g through from the outside to the center of the circuit-closer, which projections are connected by spring-plates to the attaching-screws l m, from which the wires n 0 lead to the call-bell, placed in any convenient location in the office of the party using the instrument.

The key 9 may have two or more prongs, of even or uneven width, and the placing of the key into the circuit'closer button f completes a circuit, which rings the alarm-bell. This circuit-closing key may be upon the whistle usually carried by the postman. The drawings show the same as made in this manner.

I claim as my invention 1. In an electric letter-box, the combination of the electric circuits and removable circuitclosing key, substantially as specified.

2. In an electric letter-box, the combination of the electric circuits, the circuit'closerf, and the removable circuit-closing key g, substantially as specified.

3. The circuit-closer f, having a slit for the reception of the circuit-closing key 9, in com bination with the wires a 0, screws l m, and springs for completing the electric circuit and ringing the alarm, substantially as shown and described.

Signed by me this 26th day of March, A. D. 1880.

CHAS. H. CARTER. Witnesses:

WILLIAM G. Morr,

Gno. T. PrNoKNEY. 

